Laser beams have been used in a variety of applications including machining, welding, and soldering.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,652 to Raisig et al, methods are shown for soldering flexible wire in which wires are laid on a transparent carrying film, flux is applied and a clamp of transparent material is added before the laser beam is applied as a heat source.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,044 to Chang, a method for soldering lead strands to a printed electrical path is described in which lead strands are forced onto a soldering pad. A defocused laser beam is then applied to reflow a selected portion of the pad.
McGinty et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,468 shows an apparatus for changing and repairing printed circuit boards in which a printed circuit board is moved within an X-Y positioning fixture to bring a specific location of the printed circuit board under one of the plurality of heads mounted above the work station surface. Some heads make cuts while others include laser beams for removing wire insulation. Additional heads lay down new conductive paths and glue. Solder paste is dispensed from another head and the soldering is accomplished by a laser controlled by a computer.